Visitors

So, I know it's been a while since my last update when I get an email from my Gram and all it says is "Update your blog, I need new reading material" ... Okay, Gram! Here it comes... And it's only been 12 days since my last one.

Here in the 'Xing we've had some visitors. Two people came to visit from separate parts of America, a team member from last year came back to catch up and visit, and Laura's friend came too. Needless to say, life was pretty hectic while they were here. But a good hectic. The thing about visitors is that it throws off all schedule and gives us a reason to venture out and find activities we don't normally do. Eat at new places, or old places with new people, bike to new locations, and find new things to see. Or in the case of Laura's friend, we used her visit as an excuse to do something we've been talking about for a while.

We went on a night boat trip on the famous canals of Shaoxing. The river is all lit up and the boat tour shows how the city is connected. Which is pretty awesome. I've biked all over this city, including over the canals numerous times. It was great to see how they all connect. It also made me realize that I should have gotten a boat instead of a bike.... Make travel a little quicker. Haha!

Now, they've all left and life will return to a bit of a routine now. Which I'll admit I appreciate it.

In other news, with the weather finally turning around I am super excited to get out more, do more biking, and see the city again. I want to turn on tourist mode!! My plan is to see and do as much as I can in the next couple of months. Since it's changing seasons the sun is rising ridiculously early again. Sunrise is about 4am... or close to it. And sunset is at 6pm. Since I don't have to be at school until 8:30 I might start dawn bike rides. There's a mountain outside my window that can be biked around in about an hour and I'm itchin' to go bike it.

It's just so nice to have my balcony door open, and sleep with the door open, and spend my days in shorts and a sweatshirt, or even most days in shorts and a tshirt.

Daily life is same old same old. I watched the Badger/Arizona game this morning with the guys, and then Laura and I bussed home and made lunch. I watched 'Frozen' while working on my puzzle, and now bloggin' to you guys. Laura went down to play volleyball. I can see them out my window as the courts are just on the other side of the building next to us. We're planning to go get a pork or chicken dish from the Sichuan restaurant and the come back and make mashed potatoes to go with it for dinner a little later. =)

I'll do my best to blog a bit more often... But nothing ever exciting happens here. Although I'm sure everything is interesting because it's in China! Haha! Well... I have an idea. I'm sure you all have questions about various things that are different in China. So, let's have a Q & A!! I'll give you two options for submitting questions. Either comment below with a question or email me at amegmonster @gmail .com ....When I get ten questions, I'll make a post with all the questions and my answers. I like this idea.... This is gonna be fun. Ready?? Go!!

Until next time.

Changes....

There's a saying that goes something like "The only thing that never changes, is change itself" ... It's one of those life sayings that everyone hears, and accepts and never really thinks about. 

Lately, there have been a lot of changes in my life, and I would notice one every couple days, and think, my people (thats you) would probably like to hear about this. But then, internet wasn't working, and then I was busy, and part of me doesn't want to get caught up recording life instead of living it. =) But now I have a few things to tell you about; the changes in my life. 

The weather has started to change. Its getting warmer... Monday and Tuesday this week were up near 75 and boy was I sweating. I loved it. But now its cooler again. I was told by a friend that the weather is going to go back and forth for a bit before it is consistent again. I've decided the weather is going to give me a complex. Tee and shorts one day, sweats and sweatshirt the next.... crazy! (My apologies for those of you who are getting a giant hug from old man winter in March)

My attitude changes in direct correspondence with the weather, and the day. When it was warm and sunny I was just a smiley-er me. Now its overcast and cloudy and I'm not sad, I'm just not as smiley. Also, the way school goes. Today was a good day. (I'm not done yet though =/) 

I've started to see my friends on my bike ride again. There are these two girls who get a ride home from school from their grandma. Grandma bikes on this three wheeled cart that has a little cap. It looks like a covered wagon, but small and with pedals instead of horses. Anyway, these two girls probably 1/2 and 3/4 grade sit in the back. And every couple of days, my bike ride home coincides with theirs, and we wave as I bike past them. The first time I saw them since before christmas, they were all wide eyes and pointing at me. So I gave them a big smile, and waved back. It made my day and planted a smile on my face for the next couple hours. 

Also on my bike ride are these trees that are getting a hair cut. Tree trimming crews have been out for three days cutting all the branches off the trees. It looks like they buzz cut all of them. I'm not sure the purpose of this trimming, as I'm not sure it's good for the tree... they are cutting off a lot. But hey, it's China. 

Another change that I've just realized or noticed is my hair. My bangs were just at my eyebrows when I left at the beginning of September, and now in March, they are below my chin... and always in the way! They aren't quite long enough to stay in a pony. ugh! But, it won't be too long now, and they'll reach the pony and I won't worry bout them. 

Lastly, the change I want to see is in myself. I started a workout and made it 5 days before life intervened (I let it get in the way) and I quit. But now, I'm back on the horse, and on day 4. Also, trying to eat healthier. It's not too hard in China because so much stuff is homemade anyway, but with fruit seasons picking up, I've been eating lots of delicious fruit. Currently, the big one is pineapple. I can get a little container of freshly cut pineapple for about 60 cents. And strawberries are still good. I just picked up the ingredients to make fruit salsa/salad, and all I need to get are some chips and I'll be ready. 

Until next time. 

Old Navy

Hello all!!

I hope you are all doing well, keeping yourselves busy, but not too busy and staying healthy as we go thru a season change again... or almost a season change.

Time to update you on all things "mua" ... I went to Shanghai this last weekend. =)

We had our usual Friday study and did a lesson involving trust falls. That was comical. And a great time. Then, Saturday morning, I set off for Shanghai. Arriving for a late lunch, then Jen and I ventured into town to check out Old Navy. Yes, that's right. There just opened an Old Navy in Shangahi... Crazy!! It has three floors, although the floors aren't that big. It's got everything you'd expect from an Old Navy in America. The clothes seemed to be of the same quality and of similar sizing, and the price was about usual for a higher end store in China. The translated price came out to be similar to U.S. prices... A dress was about 200 kuai which is about 30 dollars. We got free popcorn while we were shopping too! It was a fun little trip. Then, we had a women's study back at Jen's apartment. The guys surprised us by stopping by with roses for each of the ladies in honor of national women's day, which was super cute, and very thoughtful.

Sunday morning we took the 45 min subway ride to the other half of the city and had ch/rch followed by subway for lunch. The trip back to the train station included a stop to get marshmallows. (In case more rice krispies need to happen... and they will)  At the train station there was quite a line, and the only ticket available was at 8pm... I got it at 3... So I hopped back on the metro and went to Alison and Josh's house to watch a movie while I waited for my train time.

I ended up getting back to the 'Xing after most of the busses into town were finished running, and I didn't have money for a taxi, so I took the only bus running to Zion and crashed for the evening there.

One funny occurrence was on the train. There was this woman who I recognized but couldn't place. She looked so familiar! But she was too old to be one of the college kids who I would know from study, and I didn't think she was one of my street food ladies... Well, I got off the train, and she was on the same bus as I... Still couldn't place her. I decided I'd never know. Turns out I was mistaken. When I got on the 188 bus this morning, THERE SHE WAS! Suddenly it clicked. She's the ticket lady on the bus, and when I took the bus everyday to school back in October, she was often the one on the bus taking my money.... We acknowledged one another and I sat down. Haha. It was definitely one of those rare moments in life.

The trip to Shanghai was just a random thing... I decided it would be nice to see everyone, and get away for a bit. I'll definitely be going back and perusing old navy some more...

Now, I'm sipping some hot chocolate... enjoying what's left of my afternoon.

Until next time.

All American Treat

So, the time has come once more for baking adventures in China with yours truly.

The menu this time... Rice Krispie treats. Yep. That's right.
(hold for applause)

As you can see by this picture, I've got marshmallows. Thanks to a find in Shanghai... =) And I've got the closest thing to rice krispies my small china town (of 6 million) had to offer. Chocolate puffed rice imported from, of all places, Germany. Ja-wohl!! I figured it was a sign. So we're having chocolate rice krispie treats.

I don't think there'll be too much complaining.

Now, I'll admit I've never made rice kripie treats before. Nope never... Shocker, I know. Its practically a crime. But I'm young, and I have a secondary momma who happens to be an expert at it. 

(Shout out to Momma Marla!! )

 Butter first!! 

 Also, a fun little tidbit... I don't have a baking pan or sheet or anything that would serve as a pan to put these treats into.... I improvised. Yes, that's a bag. Taped to the table and buttered. Don't judge. 

I mighta scarfed a few 'mallows while the butter was melting....  

In they go!!!

This picture is sideways... but oh well. In goes the choco-rice!!

It was super duper sticky... which I think is the point of melted marshmallow... but I might needed a little more butter. 

What's a girl to do.... *munch!

Here's the finished spread out treats. They don't look fabulous, but it seems to be okay. 

And of course, I had to clean up after myself....

As an after update, I taste tested the treats moments ago, and they were mighty tasty. So, I'd say rice krispie treats in a wok is a success!! 

I might have to make more of them if I can get some more marshmallows from a bigger city. =)

Until next time. 

Transfiguration and Confidence

Hello my loyal readers!! I'm not sure how many of you there are, but my blog has steadily had page views. We're over 3500 views to date. Awesome!!

I think its been a week since my last check in. Well... Not much has been going on. My days consist of biking to school in the morning, teaching, biking home for lunch, biking back to school in the afternoon, teaching, and coming home. Being back into a routine has been pretty nice, although I do miss those white sand beaches. ;)

Some fun things about being 'home' is that it turns out I live here pretty well. By that, I mean, it was rather easy to jump back into the swing of China. Over Spring Festival I was using all english, and the people spoke english. In Shaoxing, its rare to find an english speaker outside of the college students. But in my first few days back here, I've been ordering food, directing taxi drivers and basically thriving all in Chinese. It is a good life lesson to know that perseverance really pays off. I'm not saying this is the first time the trait has been portrayed in my life, but it hit me the other day. I am living in China and I'm not afraid. I don't have any reservations about trying to communicate, about navigating, or about finding daily necessities.

That's where the title of this post comes in to perspective. This past Sunday in the chu/ch year was Transfiguration. Which, as some of you may know, was the event in the life of Je$us where he displayed his nature as G0d to his disciples. I won't make any comparisons between myself and Je$us, but the talk on Sunday talked about change. In the last 6 months I've changed. I'm not sure how... I'm not sure if it's good or bad; probably both. But the point is that I'm a different person than I was in August of 2013 before I left. This change has a connection with confidence. I've always been a very confident person. Talking to strangers, following directions to a new place, exploring the woods by my cabin all were exciting adventures to my younger self. (Ask my mother, haha. Love you Ma) China wasn't a scary event for me, it was a nervous exciting adventure. I am so glad I decided to come here. It's been so great, and I'll never forget all the time I've spent here.

I thought I'd share those thoughts with you. And to give you these parting words of 'wisdom' from a older than her years (i hope) twenty three year old. \\ Don't ever stop changing. Don't fear the unknown. It is change that allows us to grow, to mature, to explore. If we never change we'd never advance through school, grow out of diapers, mature to be parents and grandparents. Every experience we have changes us in some way. You can fight it or you can embrace it. Embrace it. //

Until next time.